Lecturer: Prof. Lars Arnberg, NTNU the Norvegian University of Science and Technology

Course summary

The course gives an introduction to microstructure formation during solidification of metals. Nucleation and growth of crystals from the melt is treated and the morphology of different microstructural features such as cells and dendrites is described. Three phase reactions such as eutectic and peritectic solidification is treated. Redistribution of solute during solidification of alloys is described. Finally, some experimental techniques for studying solidification are described.
The total length of the multimedia lectures is 4 hours and 45 minutes.

Try the first lecture of the course.

Lectures included in this course:

1. Introduction: Basic concepts, heat flow, solidification microstructures, capillary effects, solute redistribution
2. Nucleation and grain refinement: Formation of crystals from the melt. Homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, nucleation rate, grain refinement. Effects on strength, toughness, ductility.
3. Crystal morphology (atomic scale): Interface structure, facetted & non-facetted growth, anisotropy, modification of growth mechanisms
4. Interface stability, constitutional undercooling: Solute pile-up at solid-liquid interface. Constitutional undercooling. Interface instability of alloys
5. Cells and dendrites: Morphology and crystallography of cells and dendrites. Supersaturation and growth undercooling. Primary and secondary arm spacing
6. Eutectic and peritectic solidification: Regular & irregular eutectics. Diffusion-coupled growth. Capillary effects. Peritectic growth
7. Segregation: Mass balance, solute redistribution during equilibrium, and non-equilibrium conditions. Freezing point. Microsegregation
8. Experimental techniques for studying solidification: Microscopy of solidified microstructures. Quenching, decanting. Transparent analogs, X-ray imaging, Thermal analysis

This course is an outcome of the European Community Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci project METRO - MEtallurgical TRaining On-line and it is maintained by the TCN Consortium for higher education

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The METRO project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the Author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.